In truth there are many more than 5 reasons a child should read, but these 5 are pertinent to society today and this blogger felt they were important enough to prioritize.
Some kids love to read, you don’t have to mandate it, cajole, or hint. In fact, some kids read so much that parents find themselves encouraging kids to get outside and play rather than read all day long. I solved that when I was a kid by reading outside….not to say I didn’t ride my bike and play hide-and-seek, and all those great things we used to be able to play in the street, but I read, and read, and read. I’d come home from the library with stacks of books nobody thought I’d ever get through, but I did. By the time I was in 6th grade I was reading at the high school level.
There are some kids that need motivation, sometimes that comes with special privileges or activities when the goal is met, and sometimes just seeing it on a chart that they can look at posted on the refrigerator or a poster on the wall, even a notebook all their own is enough to spark enthusiasm.
Reading exercises the brain!
Science discovered long ago that reading is a powerful workout for the brain. It provides many benefits to include intellectual stimulation, and because it involves a complex network of circuits and brain signals, reading skills improve while those networks become stronger. Just like the loss of muscle tone if a person doesn’t get enough exercise, the brain loses literacy skills if not used regularly. Summer reading takes care of the ‘summer slide’ or learning loss during the time off.
Reading broadens perspective.
Reading books with characters from differing cultures, personalities, books about nature and animals, history, science, interests, and abilities can broaden a child’s sense of inclusivity and knowledge of those unlike themselves. I used to love reading folktales from other countries. Those collections were fascinating and gave insight into the history and culture of different places in the world.
It improves memory!
Though the brain isn’t a muscle it still requires frequent workouts to stay sharp. Whether you’re young or old when you read you formulate a mental map of written text. That helps to process words and aid in memory and recall. This leads to much better memory.
It can develop analytical thinking skills!
How? Reading a mystery book can enhance problem-solving skills. It also keeps a child’s brain subconsciously working to become more analytical in trying to anticipate what will happen next in a story. This will help in both their academic and personal lives to anticipate outcome and problem solve.
Reading can improve concentration!
Studies show that the overall ability to pay attention has dropped dangerously low in most children. What’s to blame for this? It’s a myriad of things, but basically it boils down to visual communication. Web pages, advertisements, phones, social media do little to promote concentration and, in fact, reduce our patience and ability to actually focus and think.
Here are some suggestions to help prioritize summer reading!
- Make time for reading as a family by choosing a story and reading out loud.
- Join a summer reading program at a library.
- Read different types of materials like newspapers, comic books, graphic novels, and books.
- Make a list of new words in each book and learn them. Have a contest to see who can learn the most words the fastest.
- Read when traveling. Nothing better on an airplane than a good book.
- Write your own book as a family. That way everybody can be involved in character structure, storyline, and action. It’s really great fun.
- A reading routine works well. Either before bedtime or in the morning, structured time yields results.
- Write letters and postcards to family and friends that live far away. You could even find a pen-pal. The anticipation of receiving a letter in the mail hasn’t waned.
Included with this article is a ‘Summer Reading List’ that can be used in many ways. It’s a free download on this site. There’s an example within this article about how you can use this page and I’m certain you can invent some of your own. Stay tuned for more free summer reading downloads for youth of all ages as well as a poster that can be printed in large format at your local office supply store, colored by kids and/or the entire family, and can be hung on the wall to keep track of all the books your kids read during the year!
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